Designed to Be More Than a Pickup
Slate Auto is taking a swing at affordable EVs by keeping things basic out of the box and letting buyers go wild with add-ons. The base truck starts at $24,950 and promises about 205 miles per charge. If you want something a bit more SUV-ish, the Squareback and Fastback versions are on the menu, both starting at $29,950.
Slate has already floated the idea of letting owners turn their pickups into SUVs after the fact. Now, thanks to a freshly published patent, we get a peek behind the curtain at how that might actually happen.
Submitted in April (Application No. 20260307578), the application was published last week and was first spotted by CarMoses. Titled Reconfigurable Vehicle, it describes a system that allows a vehicle to switch between passenger-carrying and cargo-hauling configurations without permanently altering its underlying structure.
USPTO
A Modular Body That Doesn’t Require Welding
Instead of hacking up the truck or breaking out the welder, Slate’s patent sketches out a frame with built-in spots for bolting on (or off) body panels and structural bits. Think bolts, screws, clamps – the kind of stuff you can actually undo if you change your mind.
The patent drawings show off a few possible looks: open-bed pickup, fully enclosed rear, and everything in between. Roof panels, side panels, rear glass – you can mix and match depending on your mood (or cargo).
One interesting detail is the setup for the rear seats. Instead of simply adding a bench in the back, the patent describes a hoop-shaped frame with pillars and a crossbar that bolts directly to the chassis. This gives the extra seats real support, not just a place in the cargo area.
The patent also tosses around ideas for different panel setups, cargo bed bits, and accessories. Of course, these are just concepts for now – what actually makes it to production is anyone’s guess.
USPTO
Could Owners Really Convert Their Trucks at Home?
This whole idea fits right in with Slate’s love of customization. In theory, you could have one vehicle that hauls lumber one day and shuttles the family around the next – no need to buy two separate rides.
However, the patent does not say how long a conversion would take, if one person could do every step, or what tools and equipment would be needed. It would also be important to consider structural strength, proper fastening, and safe installation of the rear seats.
At the end of the day, this is just a patent, not a promise. There’s no guarantee every wild idea in the drawings will make it to the showroom. For now, it’s a fascinating glimpse at how Slate might pull off the pickup-to-SUV trick—but we’ll have to wait and see what actually rolls off the line.
USPTO
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